Apparatus for flowing oil wells



Jan. 7, 1930. B. E. LINDSLY APPARATUS FOR FLOWING OIL WELLS Filed Feb.15 1926 INVENTOR Ben ELI/Mal lIl! ilhu m mm ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 7,1930 UNITED STATES ina'rizlar- OFFICE Arrhen us ron BLOWING/OIL WELLSApplication filed February 15, 1926. Serial No. 88,315.

My invention relates to an apparatus for flowing oil wells, and moreparticularly intended for use in connection with those oil Wells havingsome rock pressure, but not sufli-' cient to lift the oil to the surfaceof the groun and into storage tanks.

It is generally reco nized by those familiar with the production 0% oilthat gas under pressure in oil bearing strata is the principal agent inpropelling'oil rom a well. are new the gas pressure in the oil sand isusually sufficient to force the oil through the wells to the surface andinto tanks, but as the fields develop, the gas pressure in the sand.(rock pressure) usually decreases to such an extent that pumping isrequired. At this stage of production the gas pressure may be suflicientto raise the oil in quantity for about two-thirds of the distance to thesurface, but after pumping equipment is installed this gas pressure isutilized only to a very minor extent and therefore wasted. v

There is a comparatively long period in the life of most wells when thegas pressure is sufficient to raise the oil for more than onefourth ofthe distance to the surface audit is for these periods of relativelylowgas pressure that my apparatus may be. advantageously employed. Myapparatus may also be employed effectively as a substitute for pumpingin connection with wells wherein an artificial rock pressure ismaintained on the sand by the forcing of gas or air into the sandthrough other wells that have been set aside for that purpose.

It is therefore the object of my invention to continue employment ofnatural rock pressure after the r'essures have been reduced beyond thatsu cient to maintain flush flow, and thereby eliminate the expense ofinstallation, operation and maintenance of mechanical pumping equipment.

In accomplishing this object I employ apparatus, a preferred form ofwhich is hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a-vertical, broken section of an oil welland flowing apparatus embodying my invention..

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional When oil fields perspectiveview of the oil trap at the bottom of the well.

Fig. 3 'is an enlarged, vertical perspective view of one of the boosterunits. 7

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates an oil well, including a shot hole 2 wherein a pool of oilis maintained at a definite leveland wherein the rock pressure isinsuflicient to lift and flow the oil through the well to the surface ofthe ground. 3 designates the well casing of a type ordinarily employed,and 4 a common type of casing head, having a casing head gas offtakepipe 5 provided with the usual pressure regulatmg valve (not shown), anda vent pipe 6, hereinafter described.

Extending down from the casing head 4, through the casing 3, to belowthe level of the oil at the bottom of the well, is a tube 7 within thelength of which are interposed booster elements which will presently bespecifically described.

Suspended from the tubin 7 is a trap comprising a cap member 8 an base 9securely connected by bolts or the like 10 to form an enclosure intowhich oil may be admitted onl through the ports hereinafter 'mentioneThe base 9 preferably comprises a lower chamber 11 separated from anupper chamber 12 by a horizontal diaphragm 13,-the bottom of the basehaving an open port 14 through which oil is admitted to the lowerchamber 11 and the diaphragm 13 and the. upper housing wall havingupwardly opening ports 15-15 through which .oil may flow to the upperchamber 12 from the lower chamber 11 and from an upper float chamber,presently mentioned, when the valve controlling said ports is open.

Slidably mounted in cages 16 and 16' on the top of the base member 9 andon its diaphragm 13 is a valve stem 17, having downwardly closing valves1818', adapted for seating in the ports 1515', and having a float 19 atits upper end and within the float chamber 20 enclosed by the cap member8 and the. base 9. The cap member has a port 21 through which oil mayenter the float chamber from the well to operate the float and controlthe valve for the purpose of maintaining a level of the oil within thewell and permitting flow through'the trap only when the level of the oilin the well is above the controlling level of the float. The cap member8 has an aperture 22 through which the tubing 7 is'extended by a closefit, and the scribed is balanced, in that oil or gas in the well willexert as much force on it to hold it open as it does to hold it closed.The valve, being balanced as to pressures, is subject to control by thefloat.

Interposed in the tubing 7 at about the distance from the bottom of thewell to which oil may be lifted by natural rock pressure, is a booster24, comprising a body portion 25 having a solidhead 26 at its upper endenclosing a chamber 27, the lowerrim of which is adapted to seat on acap 28 and be closely secured thereto by screws 29 that extend throughthe cap into an inturned flange 30 on the lower end of the housing. Thecap 28 is provided with a coupling comprising a collar 31, into whichthe lower section of tubing is threaded, and a registering collar 32extending-upwardly into the booster housing, the extension beingprovided with a lateral port 33 having a check valve 34 tending to closethe port under pressure from within the housing chamber. Threaded intothe top of the extension 32 is a stand pipe 35 having a closing cap 36at its upper end and a lateral port 37 near its upper end through whichgas may be delivered from the top of'the housing chamber into the standpipe.

The head 26' at the top of the housing is provided with a 2 port 38 intothe lower arm of which is threaded a pipe 39, which extends downwardlyinto the housing chamber and is there provided with a valve housing 40,comprising a chamber 41 having an upwardly,

opening valve port 42 in its bottom controlled by a check valve 43. Thehousing 40 is located near the bottom of the booster housing and abovethe inflow port 33 in the extension 32, so that oil entering through theport 33 will rise in the booster chamber and flow into the valve housing40 through the port 42 under the conditions hereinafter described.

In the side of the booster housing near the top of the chamber 27 is anopen port 44 and surrounding the port 44 and within the booster chamber,is a valve housing 45, having upis a float 50 whereby the valves 4949are operated when oil rises in the booster chamber to the float level.The float level is so arranged relative to the vent port 37 in the standpipe 35 that when oil rises to near the level of the port 37 the floatis raised to open the valve port 46 and admit gas under pressure fromthe well to the booster chamber to resist rise of oil in the chamber,force the oil back to close off the flow from the tubing 7 and impel oilcontained within the booster sis chamber into the valve housing 40, andup the pipe section 39 to the 2 port 38.

Another section of the tubing 7 is threaded into the upper end of the 2port 38 and rises to a higher level where it is threaded into a collar31 at the lower end of another booster housing 24, constructedidentically with the one ]ust described, so that the oil forced out ofthe lower boosterhousing 24 will be delivered into the upper boosterhousing where the same action takes place, the boosters being duplicatedthroughout the height of the well and insuch relation that oil may bestepped upwardly through the well to eventual dellvery into the casinghead 4.

In order to avoid back pressure on the oil that might interfere wth itselevation through the sections of tubing 7 and stand pipes 35, I providea vent for the stand pipes, consistlng of-a tube'51 which opens throughthe cap 36 on the stand pipe in the lower booster housing and has anopen end into which gas or an trapped in the top of the stand pipe mayescape. The tube 51 extends vertically.

through the stand pipes in successive boosters and through successivesections of the tubing 7 to the top of the well, and is there opened toatmosphere, the tube 51 having a port 52 at each booster station forreceiving gas or air from each of the upper stand pipes, as indicated inFigs. 1 and 3, one vent pipe being suflicient to relieve the'stand pipesin all of the boosters. I

While the pressure admitted to each of the booster chambers from thewell proper through the valve housings 40 may be suflicient to providethe necessary lifting pressure. I prefer to supplement such pressure supplies through valve channels 53 in the heads 26 of the respectivebooster chambers, so that gas expanded in the tops of the boosterhousing chambers may flow therethrough into the zip-flowing columns ofoil to boost the oil after it has been forced into the pipes 39 and isflowing upwardly within the 2 channels. The channels 53 are providedwith valve ports 54 opening to the booster chambers, and the 5 ports 54are controlled by ball valves 55, whereby pressure gas may pass upwardlyto effect the boosting operation, but is trapped against back flow.

Assuming an oil well having a limited rock 0 pressure to be equippedwith apparatus constructed and assembled as above described, theoperation is as follows Natural or artificial rock pressure forces oilfrom the oil sand into the bottom of the well and it accumulates in thewell casing, which latter constitutes a closed chamber because of theclosing off of the casing by the casing head. As the level of the oilrises in the well, the float valve in the trap 8 at the bottom of V thewell tube is raised, opening the port 15 so that oil is forced upwardlythrough the chamhers in the housing basev into the lower section of thetubing 7, and thence into the lower booster housing, the gas in thelower section of the tubing and within the stand pipe passing oilthrough the vent tube.

When oil reaches the level of the float valve within the boosterchamber, the valve is opened, admitting pressure gas from the well intothe chamber to force the oil back and into the outlet pipe 39 againstthe automatic valve 43, the pressure being suflicient to lift thelimited volume of oil through the pipe and into the next section of thetube 7, and on up the tube into the succeeding booster chamber, the Howof oil upwardly under pressure of the gas being supplemented or boostedby passing from the top of the lower booster chamber through the valvechannel 53 into a column of oil rising through the 2 ports in the lowerbooster member and the excess gas escaping through port- 37 to the standpipe and through port 52 to the vent pipe, through which the gas escapesto atmosphere, thus relieving the booster housing of back pressure, thisoperation being continued in the successive boosters until the oilreaches the casing head, from which it may be delivered to storagetanks.

From the above it is apparent that lift of the oil is intermittent fromone booster to the other, and that at each successive step, only arelatively small volume of oil is affected. the steps, however, beingsubstantially continuous as the level of the oil in the successiveboosters fluctuates under control of the float valves. This steppingoperation will naturally harmonize with the natural surge in the well,whereby the supply of pressure gas is replenished, to effect the initiallift from the bottom trap to the first booster and-to successiveboosters throughout the height of the well.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Apparatus ofthe character described comprising in combination with a casing and welltubing, extending in the casing and forming a chambertherewith adaptedto contain a pressure medium, a housing interposed in said tubing withits lower portion in communication with the lower section of the tubing,valved means responsive to rising liquid in the housing forcommunicating said chamher with the interior of the housing above theintake from the lower section of the tubing, and valved meanscommunicating the interior of the housing with an upper section of thetubing at a oint between said point of intake and said rst-named valvedmeans.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination withwell tubing, a booster element comprising a housing interposed in thetubing having a port at its lower end for intake of liquid from thelower tubing section and having a valved pressure medium intake port atits upper end, an extension of the upper tubing section having a valvedliquid intake port between the other two ports, and constantly openmeans for venting pressure medium from the upper portion of the housing.

3. In apparatus of the character described. a booster housing having anintake port at its lower end and having a channel in its upper end,lower and upper sections of tubing communicating respectively with saidintake port and said channel, the housing having a pressure mediumintake port near its upper end, a float-controlled valve controllingintake of pressure medium through said lastnamed port, a conduitcommunicating with said channel and having a valved intake port betweenthe lower intake port and the pressure medium intake port, the upper endof the housing having a channel communicating said first-named channelwith the interior of the housing independently of said conduit, a backcheck valve in said last-named channel, and means for venting pressuremedium from the upper portion of the housing.

4:. Apparatus of the character described, comprising, in combinationwith well tubing,- a housing interposed in said tubing, valved meanscommunicating a lower section of the tubing with the lower end of thehousing, an

extension to said lower section of tubing having open communication withthe housing above the said valved communication, valved meanscommunicating the exterior with the interior of the housing above thefirst named valved means, and valved means communicating the interior ofthe housing with an upper section of the tubing at a point between theother two valved means.

5. Apparatus of the character described, comprising, in combination withwell tubing for suspension in a well, a booster element comprising ahousing interposed in the tub ing having a valved port at its lower endfor controlling intake of liquid from the lower tubing section andhaving a valved pressure medium intake port at its upper end communicating with the well, and an extension of the upper tubing sectionhaving a valved liquid intake port between the other two ports.

6. Apparatus of the character described, comprising, in combination withwell tubing, and a well containing a pressure medium, a

booster element comprising a housing inter-' ing, a booster elementcomprising a housing interposed in the tubing having a valved port atits lower end for controlling intake of liquid from the lower tubingsection and having a valved pressure medium intake port at its upperend, an extension of the upper tubing section having a valved liquidintake port between the other two ports, a stand pipe having an intakefor receiving fluid from the lower tubing section above the first namedvalve port and having a port open to the upper'portion of the housingchamber, and a vent pipe open to the upper portion of the stand pipe.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a booster housing, acoupling member extended into the lower portion of the housing andhaving a liquid delivery port opening to the housing chamber, a tubingsection opening to the coupling member, a stand pipe opening from thecoupling member above said port and having a port opening to the upperportion of said chamber and a vent p pe opening to the upper portion ofthe stand pipe, the housing having a liquid delivery channel and apressure medium intake port in its upper portion, a tubingsectionopening to the delivery channel, and a conduit communicating with thehousing chamber between said liquid delivery and pressure medium intakeports and with the liquid delivery channel.

9. In apparatus of the character described, a booster housing, acoupling member extended into the lower portion of the housing andhaving a liquid delivery port opening to the housing chamber, a tubingsection opening to the coupling member, a stand pipe opening from thecoupling member above said port and having a port opening to the upperportion of said chamber, and a vent 10. In apparatus of the characterdescribed,-

a booster housing, a coupling member extended into the lower portion ofthe housing and having a liquid delivery port opening to the housingchamber, a tubing section opening to the coupling member, a stand pipeopening from the coupling member above said port and having a portopening to the upper portion of said chamber, and a vent pipe opening tothe upper portion of the stand .pipe, the housing having a liquiddelivery channel and a pressure medium intake port inits upper portion,a tubing section opening to the delivery channel, a conduitcommunicating with the housing chamber between said liquid delivery andpressure medium intake ports and with the liquid delivery channel, aback check valve, controlling flow through the liquid delivery port andthe liquid delivery conduit, and a float valve controlling flow ofpressure medium to the housing chamber, the housing having a backchecked valve port communicating the upper port of the chamber with theliquid delivery channel.

11. In apparatus of the characterv described, a well tubing, a trap atthe well end of the tubing comprising a float valve for controllingintake to the tubing and a booster interposed in the tubing comprisingvalved means for admitting fluid from a lower tubing section to thebooster, other valved means for admitting fluid from the booster to anupper tubing section, and other valved means for admitting pressuremedium to the booster.

12. In apparatus ofthe character described,

a well tubing, a trap at the well end of the tubing comprising a floatchamber, a'trap chamber having an intake port and a valve co-operativewith the port and having a float in the float chamber, whereby admissionof fluid to the trap chamber and tubing is determined by level of theliquid in the float chamber, and abobster interposed in the tubinghaving intake from a lower tubing section and-Outlet to an upper tubingsection and having intake for a pressure medium above said intake andsaid'outlet.

13. In apparatus of the character described, a well tubing, a trap onthe well end of the tubing, comprising a float chamber in communicationwith the well, an intake chamber incommunication with the Well, a trapchamber um intake Valve, and means for venting presin communication witha lower tublng section sure medlum from the upper portlon of the andhaving a port opening to the intake chamber.

chamber, a valve for controlling said port, a float on said valvelocated within the float chamber whereby opening and closing of thevalve is determined by level of liquid in the.

well, a booster interposed in the tubing comprising a chamber havingliquid intake and outlet to lower and upper tubing sections at a lowlevel in the chamber, and having pressure medium intake at an upperlevel of the chamber, and means controlled by level of liquid in thechamber for controlling the pressure medium intake.

14. Apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination withwell tubing, a trap at the well end of the tubing and a float-controlledvalve responsive to changes in the level of the liquid in the trap forcontrolling intake from the trap to the tubing, a booster interposed inthe tubing comprising a housing having a portfor admitting fluid fromthe trap to the lower portion of the housing, the said housing having apressure medium intake port adjacent its upper end, float-controlledmeans controlling intake of pressure medium through said last-namedport, a conduit leading to the upper section of the tubing from betweenthe lower liquid intake port and the pressure medium intake port, and avalve controlling intake to said conduit. 15. In apparatus of thecharacter described, well tubing, a trap at the well end of the tubingcomprising a chamber having an intake port and a valve co-operating withthe port to control intake to the tubing, a float controlling said valvewhereby admission of fluid to the trap chamber and tubing is determinedby level of the liquid in the well, and a booster interposed in thetubing having intake from a lower tubing section and outlet through anupper tubing section and having intake for a pressure medium above saidintake and outlet, and means for ventingv ressure medium from the upperportion 0 the housing.

16. In apparatus of the character described, well tubing, a trap on thewell end of the tubing comprising an intake chamber in communicationwith the well, a trap chamber in communication with a lower tubingsection, having a port opening to the intake chamber, a valve forcontrolling said port, a float on said valve whereby opening and closingof the valve is determined by level of liquid in the well, a boosterinterposedin the tubing, comprising a chamber having liquid intake andoutlet ports communicating withlower and upper tubing sections at lowlevels in the chamber, and having a pressure medium intake port at anupper level of the chamr, means controlled by level of liquid in thechamber for controlling the pressure merit- In testimony whereof I afiixmy signature.

BEN E. LINDSLY.

